Anime Fall Season 2016: First Impressions

It’s that time of the year again, so enjoy our First Impressions of the fall anime season that just started~

Hibike! Euphonium 2

Length: ? • Genre: Drama, Music, School • Studio: Kyoto Animation

Whoever thought that the second season of Hibike! Euphonium would feature any less yuri subtext than we already got in the first season was definitely in for a surprise, a very pleasant one. Not only did the yuri hype train start moving again, it was also fueled by so many small and big Kumiko x Reina moments that it’s hard to believe that it will ever come to an halt. I, in fact, can’t believe that any hetero romance for those two might be believable, especially for Reina, after seeing how they behave when they are around each other.

It was seriously the best thing in the world to watch these two interact with each other again, with all the subtle, and some even not so subtle, “yuri” gestures and looks they shared. I can’t wait for more, and I’m seriously going to throw a huge freaking tantrum if KyoAni actually includes any real heterosexual romance for either of my two new babies! Kyoto Animation, you have been warned!

Similarly to Love Live! Sunshine!! in the last anime season, we’re getting an all new StrikeWitches season, with a new cast of characters.

After having watched the first episode, I can’t say too much. The story seems roughly the same, with the same old enemies that no one really knows where they came from or what they want and the same type of heroes to save the word: underage girls in skimpy clothing.

Though, what is different so far is the main girl, Hikari, whom I actually started to like a lot more and a lot faster than how I liked Mijafuji during the first few episodes. Though what still bothers me a little is the fact that we can’t really be sure if we’ll see any yuri in this one… .

Well, we already got the sisterly bath scene, though I’d be happier about someone other than her sister to pair Hikari up with~

Shuumatsu no Izetta

Length: ? • Genre: Action, Historical, Military • Studio: Ajia-Do

This one might actually be the hype show of the season, and after having watched the first episode, I can definitely see why!

Great animation, great atmosphere, and a badass female lead? Yeah, I’m totally in for that! Now, add in the fact that the trailer made this show look quite yuri-ish, you can only imagine that my hype level is going through the roof!

Well, okay. I gotta admit, the first episode didn’t really show any yuri hints or anything like that, and their political talks were a little too much for me to stay hyped for the whole run of the episode, though, I have a strong feeling this one is going to be super awesome~

Drifters is an adaptation from the same mangaka that brought us Hellsing, and even though I haven’t read either, the similarities to Hellsing Ultimate are obvious. I doubt many people reading this have watched that anime, but like that, this is violent and brutal, with a dark and brooding art style that I personally love. I normally wouldn’t be interested in any sort of historical anime, but there was something about this one that seemed interesting, and so far, it’s been exactly that.

The story doesn’t seem quite as intriguing as the visual aesthetics themselves, yet I think Drifters still has the potential to be a worthy spiritual successor to the awesome Hellsing Ultimate. It’s already off to a pretty good start~

Flip Flappers

Length: ? • Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi • Studio: Studio 3Hz

Maybe my expectations were too low, but even though it’s only been one episode, Flip Flappers was actually a lot better than I expected. This is like a strange and surreal sci-fi fairy tale, with visuals that give the world plenty of personality and really sell the sense of wonder and adventure that follows. That’s already pretty nice, but I think what’s even more exciting is the yuri subtext that looks like it might be a big part of the series.

Despite their contrasting personalities, Papika and Cocona have great chemistry, and they’re just damn cute together. It seems like they’ve already established a strong connection, so we should hopefully she this ship take off and become something that people can really get behind.

It’ll be interesting to see where the story goes from here, but if nothing else, Flip Flappers is definitely a pleasure to look at, and the possibility of more yuri subtext is already enough to make this an anime worth keeping a close eye on.

Idol Memories

Length: ? • Genre: Music • Studio: Seven Arcs

This anime was a recommendation from resident megane-lover Dimagnus_Gia, and sure enough, there’s an absolutely adorable character with glasses (who even has messy hair), so it’s already better than Love Live!. Okay, that’s probably not true at all. 😛

At the very least, I like that this isn’t a straight-up clone of your typical idol anime, since there’s a dark and serious aspect to the story—that’s most likely going to be pretty awful—but at least it’s something different. Speaking of being different, this isn’t actually a full-length anime. The anime itself only spans about 13 minutes, and the rest of the episode is a live-action segment with the seiyuus discussing various things. Maybe some people would like that, but honestly, I didn’t even bother with it and would’ve preferred more of the anime portion instead.

The character designs are nice enough, yet the actual performance itself wasn’t all that great. The CG is predictably worse than Love Live!, and it only featured one of the two main groups anyway, so that wasn’t exactly a bright spot for me. If you’re a fan of idol anime, you may find something to like here, but I think that this is looking like a rather lackluster entry in the genre.

Lostorage Incited WIXOSS

Length: ? • Genre: Game, Psychological • Studio: J.C.Staff

If you were a fan of the previous installments in the WIXOSS series, you’ll feel right at home with Lostorage Incited WIXOSS. This feels just like the past two seasons, so we have brand-new Selectors doing battle in order to prevent themselves from disappearing and their memories from being devoured. Yeah, the rules of the game (which weren’t explained in prior seasons as well as they could have been) have changed from before, but a grim fate still awaits those who lose enough times.

All of the Selectors from Infected and Spread had been female, but in the first episode, there’s already a male Selector, and judging by the ED, it looks like there’ll be at least one more male Selector in future episodes. Of course, this probably reduces the chances of a potential yuri pairing from appearing, which to be honest, kills some of my enthusiasm to keep watching this. Nevertheless, the idea of Madoka Magica meets a card battle game is still interesting to me, and I think the episode did a pretty decent job of creating enough drama, so I’ll wait and see if Lostorage can improve upon the efforts of its predecessors.

Okusama ga Seitokaichou!+!

Length: ? • Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, School • Studio: Seven

The second season of Okusama ga Seitokaichou! picks up right where the first season left off, and by that I mean that it’s every bit as ecchi as before. This season still tries to be hentai lite, which happens to be the only real reason to want to watch it. It didn’t quite happen during the first season, but it’s only a matter of time before the inevitable love triangle—and the near-sex scenes—happen between the three main characters.

If this were a normal length anime, I don’t think it would be worth the time, but at only eight minutes an episode, it’s not nearly as bad as it could be. Like the first season, the ecchiness could get tiring at any time and result in this getting dropped, but for now, I think that it’s entertaining enough to keep watching~

58 thoughts on “Anime Fall Season 2016: First Impressions”

About the Brave Witches:
What kind the rest of the cast is? As in their personality wise.
Is it basically the same: The shy one, the perverts, the hyperenergetic, etc.You can also just give a quick overview of the characters that were introduced if you are as confused as I’m right now 😛

So, I watched the first two episodes of it and well…
First off, it starts soo slow, I mean, we don’t get to know almost anyone in the first two episodes.
Secondly, in the first episode I found the mc little bit more bearable than Miyafuji, but in second episode… sigh.
Thirdly, double siscon.
Basically I hope the rest of the cast saves the series
I mean, as long as they keep Nipa s she was in this:http://dynasty-scans.com/series/strike_witches_witches_of_aurora
I think it’ll at least be watchable 😛

Hahahahahhahah, welll thank u 4 consider my recommendation!. And yes, such a pity that is only 13 min. of anime.
The first episode of hibike was totally delightful, i don’t even noticed that was a 47 min. episode. As a big fan of that serie i don’t care the comments of the people that says in the manga this ends het. I will watch it and enjoy it, to my Kumiko x Reina is the couple with most chemistry i’ve ever seen.
Brave witches…mmmm, i felt i kind of lazy beginning but i’ll give it a chance cuz i was a follower of strike witches’ saga.
Flip Flappers, is like alice in wonderland but without alice hehehhe. This first chapter was hilarious, Papika is fuckin’ disaster hahahahh i will follow it.
Izettta: wow, i luv that connection between Finé and Izetta, her relationship is so tender, they look each other with so devotion…is going to be a great story.
Vivid Strike….mmm yeah watch it but is not like the best of nanoha’s saga.
And the Magical Girls rasing project well….i think you will be disappointed with what we all discovered in the first episode but i’m following it because i have expectations with the pairings around.
Ohh and the one that you also must take a look is tha anime of ping pong…ammm don’t remember the name heheheh is Musume something…sorry, any one help please XD.

Bitte schön und danke auch für die… uhm… recommendation. Geez, I hope that came out right. I haven’t really used German since college, and even then my vocab is limited to chapter 1: appliances and chapter 2: food. =P

Watched the first two episodes of Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume, and it’s not bad! Certainly kept me entertained enough to want to watch more! Feels like there could be potential for yuri here, but it hasn’t hit critical mass yet, if that makes sense. 🙂

lol, I’ve lost hope for Kumiko x Reina ship a long time ago.
KyoAni don’t have the balls to make those two official, because…
1. they are racist against gay relationship
2. they always follow the source material
3. they are racist against gay relationship
4. they’re really good at baiting and providing fan services
5. they are racist against gay relationship
6. they never have any homo lead in any of their series
7. they are racist against gay relationship

so, yeah, all of these yuri subtexts are just one huge bait.
trust me on this.
they are like “Oh, yeah, those two have great chemistry together and they love each other, BUT THEY’RE NOT DATING! THOSE TWO WILL NEVER BE TOGETHER! BUT, THEY LOVE EACH OTHER, THO! BUT THEY WILL NEVER BE A COUPLE! YOU KNOW WHY!? BECAUSE WE’RE FREAKING KYOTO ANIMATION, THAT’S WHY!”

I’m just hoping that they will tell a good story, because I won’t be baited with all of these subtexts.
Yep, I hate your guts, KyoAni.

I have so far not tried to read up on their attitude towards gay relationships or anything like that, in fact I’m not really believing that right now anyway.

Though, it might be true, judging by the sheer amount of people who refuse to continue watching Hibike for… whatever reasons there might be.
Might it be the fact that they are sure the gay romance will never really happen? Do they think the heterosexuality will kick in for both girls at some point or is it the knowledge that Kyoani is homophobe?

Well, I don’t know, might be one of those reasons or something completely different. Though, I really enjoy the series, and with the amount of yuri so far…. well, you know what I’m about to say anyway. Though yeah, I might be proven wrong very soon.

According to the Kyoani haters and yuri haters (cuz they are strongly enjoying this) is because in hibike’s manga the end is het. But, please, there are a loooooot of animes that don’t follow the original story so honestly, the only solution is enjoy it as much as we can. I don’t give a damn about the producers, the haters or the bad comments, i will follow it anyway……but if u wanna burn Kyoani’s building, call me!😆😆😆😆

The only one that really picked my interest is Izetta, but i stil will stick to my “wait for the last ep, then marathon it!” way of life
I don’t like to wait for new episodeds to be released AND this will keep me safe for eventual sudden “turn for the worst” (*coff coff*heuphonium*coff coff*) 😛

Haha, yeah this “lifestyle” surely has quite a few positive aspects, though I like to be surprised when it comes to shows and the sudden yuri that happens. I don’t wanna get spoiled and rather walk right into it without really knowing what might happen.

This anime season looks to have the most promise in regards to yuri this year! Brave Witches to me will be about as fun as the previous shows in the Strike Witches series, and the yuri might be about the same. though I do know one witch in this series is known for being a big womanizer. Izetta looks to have such huge promise both as an action packed show and with the yuri! 😀 the images to the shows ending just add fuel to that fire! not to mention the whole princess protecting the witch thing when they were kids, I can already tell those two belong together! Hibike! Euphonium is just getting too good to be true! the yuri has become so strong in this show that there is no way KyoAni can possibly make those girl go hetero! they want each other so bad, we know it, they know it, and hopefully KyoAni knows it! if that show doesnt end with Reina and Kumiko getting together I will join you in throwing a fit! Make it happen Kyoto Animation! or ELSE!!!

YES!!! let us all unite and make sure KyoAni does not screw us over! Reina and Kumiko can not fail! on the note of Kumiko and Reina, the latest episode added more fuel to the fire with Kumiko totally checking out Reina in her swimsuit! like what you see Kumiko? 😀

I’m watching most of the shows you’ve mentioned above and then some. Needless to say, Hibike Euphonium is looking promising! I’m trying not to get my hopes up (because this is KyoAni we’re talking about), but it’s not working. They know they want each other! Come on! If KyoAni doesn’t deliver, maybe the Yurireviews community should write a complaint to them. =P

Brave Witches I’m watching too (I mean look at my avatar)… How can I not watch a show with cute anime girl versions of Günther Rall, Walter Krupinski, Edmund Roßmann and Alexander Pokryshkin?!? Also, Edmund Roßmann was known to have trained Erich Hartmann, as it seems their counterparts have done in the anime… and she’s referred to as sensei. XD

Shuumatsu no Izetta looks beautiful, but all I’m hoping for is that it will have a good story (though the yuri seems strong in this one). Magical Girl Raising Project, I’m gonna watch because it feels like Madoka-lite (though I could be wrong). As for the revelation in episode 1, I’m not too bothered by it. I mean, Kashimashi Girl meets Girl kinda did that too and that didn’t really bother me. What else? Okusama ga Seitokaichou S2 I’m watching for… well… reasons.

I may pick up Drifters since you mentioned it. I enjoyed Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate and didn’t know that they had the same mangaka. =)

Awwww, all this praise might go to my head you know~~
Though, don’t just praise me, the list was done by both RockTheVogt and me, I started watching Izetta, Brave Witches and Hibike, and Hardy (his cute nickanme) is watching the rest~

Now, I wonder if you guys would be up to help write a complain to Kyoani if they don’t deliver the much needed yuri… How might this end up looking I wonder 😀

Of course Hardy would like this comment… for various reasons 😀
He sometimes calls me Ano too, since I keep forgetting about things…
Well Hardy, why yon’t you explain why you got that nick(name)… that’s gonna be interesting lol

This is such an overtly gay season and I love it. Flip Flappers and Izetta have already made relationship dynamic seem a lot more grounded and thematically strong than your average queerbait and I’m really excited to see where they go. I especially really like the way Izetta is kind of being framed as a show about women fighting against a world ruled by creepy, objectifying men. (Also, the director of Flip Flappers actually tweeted that the yuri in the show were done on purpose, which is super cool.)

I’m not watching Hibike! due to some of things that the director said in an interview, but I’m glad that KumikoxReina is still extremely good.

As for non-yuri shows, Yuri!! On Ice is actually extremely good and extremely gay. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s just a really passionate and charming show that actually seems to portray sexuality between men in a way that feels real and respectful.

That doesn’t mean they can’t…. 😛
Well, maybe after Reina got rejected they will just drink and then make out… pity that an anime like this would probably not show any hard drinking… though maybe some more yuri 😛

You’re in good company here. It seems the range of reactions on this site to a non-yuri ending go from mild resignation to writing some petition to KyoAni to stop the gay baiting all the way to burning their offices down.

I think majority (if not all) of the episodes released thus far have had people screaming “Kiss her already!” at their monitors. 😛

Do you feel the calm before the storm? Will yuri subtext finally be welcomely shattered into actual yuri romance? Don’t you just want to get a shotgun and shoot the heck at that barrier that’s been in our way since the dawn of anime? To finally let yuri free to flow like a river?

Alright. Thanks both of you! I agree with Rock’s idea about different settings. Keijo!!!!!!!! could have been just that, but I still like it for the action and humor. You should watch that.
Bonus question: “Is my Hobby Weird?” I just found out about this from an anime facebook group of all places. Haha.